Tag Archives: review

What would you do if someone offered you a suspicious-looking drug and claimed that it would change your appearance to that of a 17-year old teenager? Furthermore, you would be part of an experiment in which you would have to return to high school for one year. Would you take the risk?

ReLife is a Japanese webtoon series created by Yayoiso in 2013 which ended with 222 chapters and published by NHN Japan on Comico. A 13-episode anime adaptation was released in 2016 with four additional OVA episodes. Back then, I was interested to watch this anime but due to hectic school schedule, I had to delay it until I eventually forgot about it. It was only last week when I suddenly remembered to watch ReLife because I was planning to bingewatch anime.

In just two nights, I managed to finish all the episodes of ReLife. But I was not fully satisfied with the short adaptation so I decided to read the series. It was when I got more absorbed to the story and characters to the point that I could actually relate myself to them. The series is filled with hilarious dialogues and scenes but it sure knows how to tug the hearts of its readers as well. It might just be a typical story that shows the hardships and issues faced by ordinary high school students (e.g misunderstandings and rivalries between friends, romance, a never-ending loop of makeup tests, etc.) but that is also one of its strong points since readers can actually relate to these matters. What’s not ordinary is that the protagonist, who has to act like a teenager, is actually a 27-year old NEET who is given another chance to relive his life as a third year HS student for one year. (NEET, according to Wikipedia, means “Not in Education, Employment, or Training.” In Japan, the classification comprises people aged between 15 and 34 who are not employed, not engaged in housework, not enrolled in school or work-related training, and not seeking work.)

As expected, NEETS are ostracized by the society, and these people are actually chosen as the subjects of the ReLife experiment to give them another chance in life. After the one-year contract, if it is successful, then the company will even provide the subject a list of jobs that he/she can apply for. However, there is a bigger reason and background story as to why these people actually ended up as NEETs. The lesson? Never assume and criticize someone’s situation without knowing the real story behind everything. ReLife teaches us life lessons and values that we sometimes overlook, ignore, or take for granted. It sure hits you right in the feels.

This story is all about growing up, facing the harsh reality of life and society, and overcoming all these problems. It’s about friendship and love, school and work. It will make you realize once again how important time is. You can never go back to the past; you can only look back and learn from your mistakes. But the wonderful memories you have created with your loved ones can never be erased.

One of my favorite quotes from the series:

“If at some point in life you made a mistake or keep falling over and over again. And you can’t help but think it’s useless and you’re a good for nothing; Remember, you’re only taking a detour. And I’m sure further along your path will come a day where you think: “It was a good life experience”. That’s why it’ll be fine.” – Chizuru Hishiro

I will not divulge or spoil anything else, because I want you to savor every dialogue, scene, and chapter of the story. Just expect to laugh really hard and cry hard as well. I actually had a difficult time trying to stifle my tears. This is definitely a must-read webtoon.

I have watched a lot of anime and read numerous webtoons so I think the art style is not that much special or different compared to others. Still, one of the reasons why I love reading webtoons is because all the chapters are colored compared to the traditional black and white manga.

Plot: 10/10

It’s a masterpiece. It might actually appear pretty simple to some (and I’m sure this kind of plot, at least some parts of it, has already been tackled in other stories) but the impact of this series (at least to me) is heavy. I suggest that you read the webtoon because they deleted some parts in the anime and they also did some minor changes in the scenes.

Characters: 10/10

At first, you would find some of them annoying, but what’s good about this series is that almost all the major characters undergo a transformation in terms of their beliefs and personality. I also find them relatable, and it probably will be the same for everyone else because we have all been through high school. As an adult, perhaps we have also experienced the ups and downs of being unemployed or bullied in the workplace. Be it as the competitive Rena or the forever-in-the-test-loophole Arata, we have all been there, one way or another.

Boku Dake ga Inai Machi (僕だけがいない街 a.k.a The Town Where Only I am Missing)

WARNING: Contains spoilers

Synopsis:

Struggling manga author Satoru Fujinuma is beset by his fear to express himself. However, he has a supernatural ability of being forced to prevent deaths and catastrophes by being sent back in time before the incident occurred, repeating time until the accident is prevented. One day, he gets involved in an accident that has him framed as a murderer. Desperate to save the victim, he sends himself back in time only to find himself as a grade-schooler one month before fellow classmate Kayo Hinazuki went missing. Satoru now embarks on a new quest: to save Kayo and solve the mystery behind her disappearance. (Source: MAL News via MyAnimeList)

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I first watched its 12-episode anime series and it was interesting enough for me to read the manga for a more in-depth understanding of the story. In the anime version, the production altered some parts of the story especially the last few episodes but at least the major parts were retained. The art and animation of the characters and the background were drawn incredibly.

But it was the intense and fast pacing of the scenes that got me hooked into it. The first episode already provided a brief explanation of the character’s “revival/rerun” ability and it was exhibited right away. Every scene was crucial to the progress of the story and its mixture of psychological and mysterious ambiance added to its overall appeal since I am really into those genres. It has an element of time traveling as it also addresses more realistic and darker themes about kidnapping and child abuse. It had me playing like a detective though it was easy for me to pinpoint the true kidnapper just within the first three episodes, so the only suspense left for me was whether Satoru would be able to pull off his plans and save his mother and friends from the murderer. The manga itself is short; it only has 44 chapters but despite its brevity, the author managed to conclude everything accordingly. (I am still a bit disappointed though that Satoru did not end up with Kayo. My ship has sunk 😥 )

“I never stopped believing.”

ERASED resembles Detective Conan since the plot revolves around finding the real culprit, and if you are a fan of time travel stories, then you must surely watch this one! I also do recommend reading the manga after (or before) watching the anime to give you a better understanding of the characters’ backgrounds as well as its ending.

Boku Dake ga Inai Machi is definitely one of the best anime series this year and in fact, a live-action film was also released just last month featuring Tatsuya Fujiwara.

My rating: 7.5 out 10

Here’s the anime’s trailer to give you a taste of what ERASED is all about.

I just finished watching the 13-episode anime of Ajin and the first part of its trilogy film which just basically summarized the first half of the anime series. I read a lot of posts about the seemingly good story of Gamon Sakurai-san’s manga-turned-anime-and-movie. It piqued my interest but when I discovered that it was in 3D/CG format (as it was released under Polygon Picture) I had my doubts since I am not really a fan of CGs in anime and I’m one of those who prefers the traditional 2D style. Nevertheless, the plot of the story was good enough to keep me going past the first episode. In fact, it no longer became an issue to me as I glued my eyes on what is going on with the story. Now let’s take a look at its synopsis first.

SYNOPSIS:Seventeen years ago, the existence of a special species called Ajin was discovered in Africa. They are said to be immortal beings, with several supernatural abilities, that look just like any other human being. Are these Ajin just random phenomena of nature or were they purposely sent to Earth to destroy it?

Since their first discovery, several other Ajin appearances have been reported worldwide. For the majority of citizens though, these creatures are less reality and more of something you see every once in a while in a textbook or on the news. This is how it was for the young protagonist of the series, Kei. That was until a sudden turn of events changed his life forever…(MyAnimeList)

In all fairness to the producers of the anime and film, they did stick to the main story of the manga despite some slight changes with the little details. It has a mixture of action, horror, mystery and supernatural elements wonderfully blended together. (I also actually read the manga right after watching it and just to spoil you a bit, Kei has some comical moments/more so like facial expressions in the recent chapters which, I hope, will be shown in the next film or second season perhaps of the anime.) The action scenes really put me at the edge of my seat, and the experiments conducted on Kei made me cringe in horror. I was somehow looking forward to seeing more of Kei’s development as a fighter but I guess it will take a few more chapters for that. Sato-san is obviously the main antagonist in the story but somehow, even just for a bit, I feel like he had his reasons for being a sadistic player. It seems like the background story about him in the manga doesn’t fully explain why he turned out to be as bloodthirsty as he is right now. He is like the epitome of monstrosity, both literally and figuratively.

I will not go into details about the manga, but fans will surely be surprised when they continue the story from where the anime left off. The manga has only about 38 chapters so far (as of this writing) that is why no wonder the anime only had 13 episodes. I think the second and third part of the trilogy films will be far more updated than the anime. I give them a plus point for casting my favorite voice actor Miyano Mamoru as the seiyuu of Kei Nagai. (Actually, I was too preoccupied with the scenes that I did not even realize that it was Miyano-san’s voice LOL.)

I cannot expound this review any longer since the story is still in its initial stage and there will still be a lot more in the coming seasons/chapters. It is interesting enough, and it will make you go gaga once you reach the climax. Have I mentioned how much I terribly want to get a hold of my IBM? Lol. There is presumably a scientific explanation behind it, but I am not fond of science that much so I’ll leave that part to you for your own understanding. *smirks*

Anyway, to wrap it up, I’ll give this manga/anime/film a 6.5 rating. !(•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑ You should definitely try this one!

Vampires have evolved and don’t rely on human blood anymore. They now co-exist secretly as normal citizens even though they are still feared and discriminated against by the society. So what happens to a female vampire trying to live a normal school life when she meets the most popular boy in school and accidentally nips his neck?

Honestly, this seems like a normal vampire love story. There is nothing so special or noteworthy about it or the characters. Nonetheless, I was drawn with it from the beginning until the last chapter. Its emotional aspect was like a roller coaster ride for me and I was touched, especially with the ending. I silently wept in certain chapters of the webtoon and I gritted my teeth in resentment with the antagonists. Somehow, I felt like I could relate with the main characters (even though I am not a vampire lol). They say that you can easily tell if a story is good enough if you yourself feel a connection with its characters. And in my case, I actually felt that way.

Seok Woo-nim’s art style is outstanding. All the pages are colored, adding more vividness to the scenes. And just like other stories, it leaves a moral lesson to its readers. It makes us question ourselves about our humanity. In this webtoon, I felt like vampires were actually more humane than us, humans. It also tackles the issue about discrimination.

Overall, Orange Marmalade is a fairly decent webtoon with good characters and plot. I liked it, but the story’s impact didn’t linger on me for a long time.

Heo Sae (age 23) a person overdue in debts for various reasons finds himself trying to hide from loan sharks. He happens to find refuge at a bath house. The owner of the bath house buys off his debt but in turn is indebted to him. The bath house owner believes that Heo Sae has a talent he himself isn’t aware of. Could he be the man with the Hand of God? The scrub battle to become the best bath coordinator is about to start.

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God of Bath is the first Korean webtoon created by Ha Il-kwon that I have read. However, I finished reading Annarasumanara first sinceit was completed earlier than GoB. Line only released the latter’s last chapter in December even though the Korean version concluded years ago.

The story is actually simple and doesn’t involve any intricate plots or lingo. It didn’t fail to provide comical relief in each chapter which is the main reason why I enjoyed reading it. Despite its seemingly shallow plot, the story actually has a more profound meaning and moral lesson to it. It teaches you to follow what your heart dictates and not let society chain you from doing what you think is the norm. The happiness and satisfaction you feel from doing what you really desire is far more important than what other people will say about you.

God of Bath is hilarious and inspiring at the same time. It lets you find the hidden meaning behind its comedic setting. I am certain that employees will be able to relate to the story as it tackles the issues about money, colleagues and the society as a whole.

The story only has 30 chapters, which is short compared to other manga/manhwa that I have read. But the good news is, there will be a live-action film adaptation of this webtoon which will be released in summer this year. I have doubts whether the actors will give justice to the comical scenes but I am hoping that they will not be disappointing. I am definitely looking forward to watching this movie. But before you watch it, make sure you read the webtoon first!

안나라수마나라 (Annarasumanara) by 하일권 (Ha Il-kwon)

“Do you believe in magic?”

SYNOPSIS:A rumor goes around school about an abandoned amusement park and a magician who lives there that can make someone disappear for good. Yoon Ai, a very smart girl in her class, struggles to feed herself and her sister everyday. She just wants to become an adult faster so that she can escape from the poverty and the reality of her current situation. One day, her life changes as she meets a childish magician who asks her: “Do you believe in magic?”

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I have been into Korean webtoons these days right after I got obsessed with Noblesse. They are officially translated into English though there aren’t a lot of them on Line. Each manhwa is updated every week on the said website, though I believe they are not translated immediately compared to some other online manga sites. In fact, this webtoon, Annarasumanara that I am about to review, has only been completed recently on Line though it was already published on Naver way back in 2010. Now moving on to the webtoon, I must say that it is not your typical story. The story mainly focuses on true-to-life situations especially in the phases of childhood and adulthood. It addresses the stress and pressure that most people experience just to be able to fit in the society, disregarding their own dreams and happiness just to comply with the norm. It also reflects how most people tend to discriminate and judge others who are different from their standards. The message it conveys to its readers is priceless, as it teaches them to reach for their dreams to achieve true happiness and to not let others dictate what they must do. Each character is in a realistic situation that would most likely resemble someone else’s state. As for the art style, I think it is much better than the author’s style in God of Bath. Considering its genre, it’s understandable why the art in the said webtoon looks more eccentric (if I may say) than in Annarasumanara where the story is on a much more serious note. Unfortunately though, it is not colored unlike most webtoons. But that doesn’t matter that much because the art alone is striking enough. If I have any complaints about it, that would most certainly be the ending. I mean, the story only has 27 chapters which I think is too short. (I wanted more! T.T) On the other hand, I think the author gave the story a beautiful ending even though there were still a few more questions that were left unanswered. But the invitation at the end of the chapter was enough to wrap things up. It maintained its mysterious feel to it up until the last part. It is definitely a must-read story.

Rai, a vampire who slept for more than 800 years, wakes up in the 21st century only to get surprised with the changes in the world since his long slumber. He enjoys his new life at the school which his servant, Frankenstein, established. One day, his friends get in danger from mysterious attackers, so Rai starts to fight the enemies with Frankenstein and other vampires to save mankind. (Source: Naver/edited)

Noblesse is a Korean webtoon written by Son Jae Ho and illustrated by Lee Kwang Soo. It was first published on Naver in 2007 and it currently has 343 episodes. I have just recently begun reading this a few days ago and it actually exceeded my expectations. What’s good about this webtoon is that the chapters are released every week, unlike other Korean manhwa that I have read before where it takes months before they are updated. The story revolves around magical beings such as vampires (Nobles) and werewolves who get entangled in the human world. The humans have continuously sought more power over the years, which enabled them to create modified humans through experiments conducted by some organizations and individuals. Hence, the fight among humans, nobles and werewolves started.

All the chapters in this webtoon are brilliantly drawn by Lee Kwang Soo and what’s even better is that all the panels are colored! (I guess this is one of the special features of an online manhwa.) This makes it even more different compared to the traditional black and white pages of a Japanese manga/Korean manhwa. It makes the drawing more vivid and provides more life to the characters in the story. It is in fact, almost similar to an anime. (Though it’s almost impossible, I still hope that Noblesse will have an anime adaptation in the future because it has a lot of potential. I actually chanced upon a video/teaser on Youtube about Noblesse, but unfortunately, it seemed like there was nothing more to it. I just don’t understand why Koreans don’t animate their manhwa. It’s such a waste. T.T)

Characters

The story line is great and each character has his/her own share of limelight. The pace is also good and the scenes don’t seem rushed. Everything is well-organized which makes it even easier to comprehend what’s going on in the entire series. It’s written in a way that enables the readers to connect with the characters and relate to them completely. If there would be any downside to this, that would probably be the fact that your bias list would get ruined every time a new character is introduced. LOL. You would totally be overwhelmed with all the bishounen that you would meet in the story.

The third factor that makes Noblesse a must-read webtoon is its humorous content. Almost every episode has at least one or two comedic scenes that would definitely leave you roaring in laughter. You see, the noblesse here in the story is supposed to act like a royalty whose power is even stronger than the Lord of the nobles, but you wouldn’t expect him to be a total noob. The rest of the characters (especially RK-5 and the students) complement each other to provide its readers some comedic relief from the intense and gripping fight scenes in the chapters.

No, M-21, the banana doesn’t hold any secret.

The story hasn’t concluded yet, but I’m sure that my current impression about it will not change. To wrap things up, I’d give this webtoon a rating of 10 out of 10! The art, the story, the characters—-everything is perfect. *WINK* It’s definitely a must-read webtoon.

You see, I only began reading the manga last week after I finished watching the anime. The last episode was a total cliffhanger so I decided to read the series especially when I found out that it already concluded. Be warned, though. This post contains some spoilers (if you haven’t read the manga yet) and some possible long rants lol. Yosh! Let’s start!

The first few chapters of the manga reminded me of the scenes in the anime although I instantly recognized the parts that were a little bit altered. Since the first season of the anime was too short, I couldn’t completely connect with the characters that much. But with the manga, I was able to establish a more in-depth understanding of them, especially of the protagonist, Ken Kaneki. The story is definitely tragic and more than half of the scenes are vicious and gory. (Therefore, this manga is not for the fainthearted!) As you may probably know, the story revolves around ghouls devouring humans and the protagonist here unfortunately ended up being a hybrid after a ghoul’s organs were transplanted into his body after a certain incident. He tried to suppress it at first, but he eventually learned to embrace his new self after getting help from other ghouls at Anteiku. However, after he was kidnapped and tortured by Jason, Ken began to drastically change. From being a timid and frail teenager, he suddenly turned into an atrocious ghoul who sought more power to protect those around him. He faced a lot of enemies, including the CCGs and Aogiri members. And that was where the climax of the story began.

This is probably a given due to the nature of the story, but still, I must definitely give all the action scenes an A+! Browsing through the pages of each chapter kept me at the edge of my seat since almost all chapters contain grisly images of ghouls and human being severed into pieces. These parts would definitely look more awesome in the anime adaptation, so I’m extremely hoping for a second season!

While reading each volume, I also developed a sense of connection with the characters, especially with Kaneki and Amon. There were also quite a handful of surprises that left me astounded, confused and depressed. Most of the characters were given some brief background details that explained their stance in the latter part of the story. Take, for example, the case of Suzuya. When he first appeared in the story, I ultimately despised him. But toward the last chapter, I suddenly found myself sympathizing with him. The character development of most characters were distinctly written that they’d make you change your impression toward a certain individual. You could never be certain whether the character was a heroine or a villain.

I had no particular problems with the story so far. Well, not until I reached the climax. The battle between the CCG and Anteiku ghouls was probably the best fight in the series. It also clarified some questions about Yoshimura and the One-Eyed Owl but other than that, the last chapter was a disappointment for me. Disappointing in a way that the ending didn’t particularly clear a lot of issues. In fact, several questions remained unanswered. Ishida-sensei did give some hints about some issues but they were too implicit for me to comprehend since I could only make assumptions about the ending. The way Kaneki died looked plain to me. I was expecting a more intense fight between him and Arima. Kaneki’s death was definitely tragic, but also upsetting at the same time since he didn’t even manage to deliver a fatal blow to the investigator. Kishou Arima also didn’t have a lot of scenes in the manga. No background story was given and the only thing I know about him is that he’s exceptionally good and apathetic. ( I also read the spin-off manga about him but so far, nothing really significant has been revealed about Arima.) Questions about Uta and his group Pierrot still haunt me as well. The body of Amon wasn’t also shown though he was presumed to be dead. Same with Kaneki’s friend, Hide. And what happened to Hinami and Rize? You see, I have a lot of questions and I’m not sure if I just missed some important details while reading but I would only be satisfied if the announcement regarding Ishida-san’s “surprise” would be about a sequel.

So if I have to rate it, I’d probably give it 7 out of 10 points. The peak of the story was truly gripping but the end of the series left me discontented.

“Set in the early Meiji period, an assassin from the Bakumatsu war returns not as a hitokiri but as the rurouni Kenshin, with his vow not to kill and instead, protect those in need to atone for the murders he committed in the past. But the peace in the new age is threatened with the appearance of his successor, Shishio Makoto. Will Kenshin be able to fulfill his vow while protecting his friends and loved ones with just a reverse-blade sword? The burden of saving the whole nation weighs him down as he faces a much more powerful enemy apart from Shishio, and that is the ghost of hitokiri battousai that still dwells within him. “

Cr: Warner Bros. Pictures (Philippines)

The live-action film adaptation of Nobuhiro Watsuki’s renowned manga called Rurouni Kenshin has so far caused a stir among the fans all over the globe. The first movie set a strong foundation for the sequels that were (and will be) released this year. The frenzy surrounding the two new installments proved to be fairly justifiable as both movies raked in millions of dollar in gross income in Japan alone. Kyoto Inferno has also become a certified blockbuster hit when it was released in the Philippines last August 20. And it is no surprising if the third movie receives a much warmer response than before especially that thousands of moviegoers have already been flocking the cinemas since it was released this September.

So how did The Legend Ends conclude? That is the main concern of everyone who was left hanging in midair when Kyoto Inferno ended. And what Director Otomo and the rest of the cast gave the audience was something befitting of the story of the legendary battousai—a truly remarkable masterpiece that breathed life to the fictional characters and enabled the viewers to explore the world of Himura Kenshin.

It is true that some parts of the original story were altered, and it was also extremely regrettable that some scenes that I was looking forward to see were not even included in the film. But the climax of the movie was so breathtaking that not a single soul inside the cinema dared to move. Takeru Satoh and the rest of the actors portrayed their roles perfectly and all the stunts were executed flawlessly. The cinematography and choreography of the swordplay were nothing but pure brilliance. Though some bits of the script were changed, the director was still able to convey the whole meaning of the story about Himura Kenshin’s vow to protect the people with his sakabato as well as his significant connection with the rest of the characters. It’s truly unfortunate that most Juppongatana members were not given longer screen time but like I stated before, the main battle between Kenshin and Shishio Makoto fueled the void. And oh, did I forget to mention how Shishio’s sinister laughter and Soujiro’s deranged act sent goosebumps to my body? Those scenes are totally a must-see. The overall gripping and action-packed scenes were blended with just the right amount of comedy and romance, providing the audience with 100% satisfaction.

“I have an enemy I must defeat.” (Taken from the trailer of The Legend Ends)

Words are probably not effective enough to describe the ingenuity of this movie adaptation. Never in the previous years had I imagined that the infamous hitokiri would come to life through the portrayal of Takeru Satoh. Even those who are not originally fans of the manga and anime have shown great interest in the movies, and they have nothing but praise to offer as well. And now, I must say that I am extremely grateful to all the cast, director and production staff behind the creation of this live action film that is, by far, the best movie adaptation I have seen throughout the years. And with all the flashbacks about Himura Kenshin’s scar that were shown in the movie, I am fervently hoping that a prequel will be announced soon.

Alright. First things first. I’m just glad that I finally managed to catch up with the recent episodes of Hunter X Hunter. I was a bit more focused on Naruto so I didn’t realize that HxH has already released a couple of new episodes while I was dawdling. I got my day off today so I decided to do a short marathon of this anime from episode 136-144. And man, I’m just glad that Chimera Arc is finally over. Don’t get me wrong. I love all the seasons of Hunter X, but I personally think that the sixth arc was dragged out too long. I especially hate the narrations -_- But even so, I still shed a tear when Meruem died along with Komugi. *sniffs* But beware! This contains spoilers for those who haven’t seen the episodes yet. This is my own review and summary based from what I have watched.

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The seventh arc begins with the assembly of the Zodiacs—a 12-member group of Hunters whose skills are acknowledged by the former chairman of Hunters Association, Isaac Netero. Because of his death, the members of the Zodiacs all agree to fulfill his final wish of electing a new chairman while following and accepting the conditions set by Netero himself. Ging Freecss, also a member of the Zodiacs, finally makes his appearance and he is the one who set the rules of the election since his proposal gets chosen by Beans randomly. (It is then later revealed that Ging foretold what would happen in the meeting and planned everything in advance. However, he doesn’t wish to be the next chairman and he also explains that he is doing all of these to amuse himself.)

The election has to be redone a couple of times since the condition hasn’t been met yet. (The candidate must garner a majority vote of 95% or the voting has to be done all over again.) Up until the latest episode, no one has been chosen yet to be the next leader but at least, the nominees are finally narrowed down into four: Pariston Hill, Cheadle Yorkshire, Mizaistom Nana and Leorio Paradinight, who surprisingly got famous after he smacked Gon’s father during a meeting with the hunters.

On another note, Gon is still confined in the hospital after his match with Neferpitou. He suffers from considerable damage and is barely alive. Both the doctors and the Nen exorcist who examined him cannot do anything to revive his damaged body. Vowing to help his friend, Killua sets off to his family’s estate where his younger brother, Alluka Zoldyck is locked. Alluka has the ability to grant any wish as long as his requests are done. If the rules and conditions are not met, it brings death to the person involved, including his/her friends and loved ones. Because of this, the Zoldyck family considers this particular ability of him to be utterly dangerous, that is why they sealed him in a highly-secured room. Illumi seeks the aid of Hisoka to stop Killua from his plans, because he worries about the safety of his whole family. He thinks that if Killua uses the power of Alluka to revive Gon, the lives of their family might be at stake.

Meanwhile, Killua sees his younger brother again after several years. He apologizes to him for leaving him in that situation. It is obvious that they are both fond of each other. A short background story of the two is shown, and it explains the ability of Alluka. It also seems like Killua is the only one who cares for him. Silva and Illumi both refer to him as “darkness”, and do not consider him as part of the family. Back to the room, Alluka immediately gives her three requests to Killua, and when he fulfills all of them, Alluka’s eyes and mouth suddenly turn pitch-black, activating his wish-granting mode. Their father, mother and brother Milluki are watching them all the while through the intercom and camera. He asks his father to open the doors, but he refuses. Because of this, Killua gives “Something”, (the term he uses when Alluka’s face changes) his wish, and that is to kill their mother if they haven’t left the mountain in half an hour. Otherwise, Alluka has to kiss him on the cheek.

Killua carrying Alluka

Finally, his father lets him take Alluka to Gon as long as he will follow the rules. First, he shouldn’t leave Alluka’s side and he must also not disclose any information about their family to outsiders. He is also under the supervision of Gotoh, Canary, Amane and Tsubone—the family’s butlers who will ensure that he will obey the said requirements. If he fails to follow them, he will be sent back to the mansion immediately. Agreeing to this, Killua and the butlers set off to the hospital where Gon is waiting. On their way, Illumi and Hisoka attempt to stop them from getting to their destination. Hisoka kills Gotoh while Illumi manages to confront Killua and Alluka. While thinking of ways to escape, Tsubone appears in front of them together with Amane. Alluka issued her first request to Tsubone earlier before they started their journey, but she decided to get out of her sight so the other requests would not be made. However, the moment he sees her, he immediately gives her two remaining requests, to which he asks for her nails from her middle and ring fingers. When the requests are met, Alluka immediately transforms and Tsubone lets Killua make the wish in order for him to escape with Alluka. On the other hand, Hisoka is watching the scene from a distance and contemplates whether he will kill Alluka to gain Killua’s wrath or kill the latter to infuriate Illumi. Just then, Killua asks “Something” to heal Tsubone’s hand, much to the surprise of everyone. He then reveals to Illumi that in order for him to heal someone, Alluka must touch that person. He also doesn’t make any cruel requests after that. Upon hearing this, Illumi lets Killua get to the hospital as long as his wish to heal Gon doesn’t pose any risk. However, since Killua hasn’t told him yet about his secrets, he is still after Alluka. He then disappears together with his Needlemen. Hisoka also stops his plan to kill Alluka and vanishes in the darkness. He is later seen murdering Teradein, the president of Seirin Group who tried to stop him and Illumi from executing their crimes.

Amane drives Killua to the hospital where Gon is confined. There, Killua gently watches Alluka on his sleep, waiting for him to wake up and revive his friend.

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Bonus screenshot: (Because I can’t simply disregard the cuteness of this boy. Teehee.)

I just simply want to squish Killua. Can I adopt him? :3

I swear, I got a bit confused with the explanation regarding Alluka’s power. I hope I got everything correctly lol. But I enjoyed watching these episodes. There were a lot of hilarious scenes and I was particularly entertained with Leorio’s speech during the Hunters’ assembly. Hisoka and Illumi also had their own shares of funny moments. Ging finally had enough screen time, too, and a lot of new characters were introduced. I’m definitely looking forward to the episode next week!